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Ciara Kenny

The Irish Times forum by and for Irish citizens living overseas,

Hundreds of jobs available at Working Abroad Expos

Recruiters from Canada, Australia, NZ and Middle East search for workers in construction, healthcare and finance

Jobseekers queuing outside the Working Abroad Expo at the RDS last year.

Ciara Kenny

Ciara Kenny

Tue, Sep 24, 2013, 14:49

The Working Abroad Expo is on this weekend at the RDS in Dublin. It will take place over three days (Friday to Sunday) instead of two for the first time, which will hopefully do something to reduce the lengthy queues seen at the bi-annual event over the past few years. Belfast will host a smaller Expo next Wednesday, October 2nd.

More than 30 Canadian companies will be recruiting for a broad range of jobs in construction, agriculture, project management, engineering and other sectors across all provinces, while representatives from the Western Australian government will be recruiting healthcare workers. A financial advisory company will be looking to fill finance vacancies in the Middle East, South Africa and Russia, with generous tax-free salaries on offer.

Government immigration officials from Canada, Australia and New Zealand will be on hand to answer queries on visas and skills shortages. Migration specialists and relocation service providers can offer advice and quotations on everything from finding a new home to moving your belongings.

Tickets cost €10 and can be booked online. A small number of tickets will also be on sale at the door. For a full list of exhibitors and jobs on offer, see workingabroad.net.

Moving2Canada, an Irish-run information service and recruitment agency which has been attending the event since 2011, asked some of last year’s successful attendees to provide their tips for success:

Eamon and Rachel Quinn emigrated to Vancouver last May. Both had employment in Ireland but cited lack of job security and increased career opportunities in Canada as reasons for their interest in attending the employment fair. With a strong emphasis on construction at the Expo, Eamon used the opportunity to gather information about opportunities for quantity surveyors in Canada.

“Keep an open mind on locations. We knew Vancouver was our ideal location but I interviewed for positions across Western Canada,” advises Eamon. “Moving2Canada advised us to apply for the IEC visa and helped me set up interviews. I received a job offer for a general contractor in Vancouver a month before arriving in Canada.”

Piotr Ziminski and his wife Justyna, both originally from Poland, lived in Dublin for eight years before emigrating to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Piotr, a building services engineer, found a role through Moving2Canada’s recruitment agency.

“Moving2Canada gave us some very good advice right at the Expo and kept in touch afterwards, helping with Canadian-style CV writing, interview preparation and contract negotiations,” he says in a strong Dublin accent. “But most importantly, they always kept an eye on potential jobs for both of us as well as proved very successful in networking. We got in touch with some Canadian employers and were introduced to other people from Ireland who already relocated to Yellowknife and could share their experience with us. All of this made our big move less stressful and less overwhelming.”

Given that Piotr was over 35 years of age and thus ineligible for an IEC visa, Moving2Canada was able to help with an employer-sponsored Labour Market Opinion visa.

Lisa Mulvey moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta, earlier this year after securing employment. “I had an IEC visa but it was fantastic to have a job set up before I travelled to Canada,” says Lisa. She advises attendees to be persistent, as following up will yield results.

“The Expo has a heavy construction focus but I kept checking back with each contact I made and Moving2Canada found me an accounting role. I’m in a great place right now.” Fort McMurray is a remote oil sands town but Lisa was excited to find stable employment after facing an uncertain outlook in Ireland. “I wanted a challenge and the opportunity to further my career so Fort McMurray seemed like an adventure. There’s a growing Irish community here, lovely people from all walks of life.”

Moving2Canada launched an employment agency to assist emigrants, especially those over 35, looking to find employment or gain residency prior to moving. It’s primary focus is on construction and engineering. See Moving2Canada.com.

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